"We can do no great things; only small things with great love."
Mother Teresa
I found this quote years ago, during a time when I felt particularly insignificant in the world. I was knee-deep in parenting, which took all of my personal resources and most all of my brain cells. I was tired. Or, as we say in Texas, "tard."
Back then, I could barely drag myself from the couch, where I crashed after a long work day, to the stove to try and make some kind of magic happen in a skillet for dinner.
I could not imagine having the energy to go out and change the world, when changing bed sheets on a somewhat regular basis seemed almost impossible. I was reduced to thinking in terms of small things - bite-sized tasks I could complete that would help make life feel good for my family. Despite my exhaustion, I still wanted them to feel loved and special. I just knew I couldn't pull off anything too grand.
Do a load of socks and underwear.
Make one batch of cookies.
Make my bed.
Wipe down bathroom counters.
Fluff the couch pillows.
Pick up shoes left in living room.
Pack a Christmas shoebox for a child in need.
Put some extra dollars in the offering plate on Sunday.
Make a meal for a new mama.
I did small things, because that's all I could manage.
And it felt so inconsequential, so insignificant.
One day, I came across the quote by Mother Teresa, and it was like a light bulb came on inside my head. I even created the canvas art piece (above) with the quote on it, so I could be reminded of it each day.
Small things....with great love.
Suddenly, all those little things I did each day felt important. I saw them in a new way. Each task, each act of service, each pound of hamburger fried, each pair of socks folded, each card sent to someone sick, each time I rocked babies in the church nursery...these all became acts of great love.
And love, I believe, changes the world.
There is a movie coming out, called The Letters. It's based on the life of Mother Teresa through the personal letters she wrote over the span of forty years.
I can't wait to see it, because Mother Teresa has been an inspiration to millions of people. I admit I have not known much about her story, other than that she served the poorest of the poor in India, and lived a life dedicated to loving the "least" by the world's standards. She is considered one of the world's greatest humanitarians of modern times.
The Letters is a movie I hope people will go see.
At a time when religion has become political, and when faith is rocked by cynicism, it might just be a good idea to be reminded of the power of small things done with great love.
Simply watching the movie clip has made me pause to think about ways I can serve others.
I still feel little. I still feel tired. I'm overwhelmed by the immensity of the world's suffering.
And yet, I'm inspired to keep thinking small. If each of us, millions of us, did whatever small things we could, perhaps we would see the immensity of God's redemptive love overtake the world.
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Rachel
p.s. you can help spread the word about this movie by using the hashtag #TheLetters and the handle @TheLettersMovie on Twitter and Facebook. It's a small thing we can do together.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The Letters (Film). The opinions and text are all mine.
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